Formation of National Identity Understanding in Primary Grade Students on the Basis of National Culture and Traditions

Abstract

In this study, we are going to consider the formation of national identity and self-awareness in primary school students by including national culture and traditions into education. It should be noted that from the theoretical point of view, the early school years are a period of fundamental importance, namely from 7 to 10 years of age, of the education of understating about one’s own roots and one’s own belonging to society. As for the knowledge gap, it is related to the superficial attitude to develop self-awareness based on national values in the modern, quite globalized educational space. To find a possible resolution to the problem, the theoretical knowledge and the practical results of work with primary school students were used based on the study of methods of teaching using folklore, customs, and traditional values of the spiritual and moral culture of the peoples. Pedagogical means are associated with the following: the inclusion of national tales, songs, proverbs in the process of learning the Russian language and fine arts; the organization of “National Clothing Week,” “Traditions Festival,” “Pancake Day,” and other cultural events. The results show that the culturally rich educational process helps children to develop a sense of national pride, social responsibility, and morality in pupils. It has been also found that teachers’ cooperation with the parents institutes supports strong rapprochement between students and national culture. It is important to note that from the educational point of view, the use of national culture in the program allows one to form an independent, thinking individual, nationally conscious, able to combine its foundation with modern.